Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP)

Exposure & Response Prevention is a gold-standard CBT method for obsessive–compulsive disorder and severe anxiety. Children face feared thoughts or situations (exposure) while resisting the urge to perform rituals or avoid (response prevention) so the brain relearns, “I can handle this.” See how ERP fits into OCD in children and broader anxiety in kids and teens.

Quick facts

• Works for intrusive thoughts, contamination worries, checking, and avoidance behaviours
  
• Child controls the pace; exposures start small and predictable
  
• Parent support is vital—reducing reassurance keeps gains solid
  

Why early help matters

Delaying treatment lets rituals grow, steals time from friends and learning, and can lead to depression in adolescence. Early ERP builds confidence before the cycle widens.

What parents can do now

• Normalize anxiety’s tricks: “Your brain sends false alarms—ERP helps us test them.”
  
• Join the plan: Learn coaching skills through parent coaching or SPACE treatment.
  
• Praise effort, not outcome: Celebrate each step on the exposure ladder.
  
• Stay consistent: Mixed messages (sometimes allowing rituals, sometimes not) slow recovery.
  

Proven treatment options at FFEW

• Individual therapy with ERP for children and teens
  
• Child-friendly exposure groups such as Coping with Anxiety Kids
  
• Parent programmes:
  
  • Parenting Children with Anxiety
    
  • Emotional Regulation Parenting
    
  • Parenting Emotionally Intense Children
    
• Coaching tracks like Children with Anxiety to guide ERP at home
  

Clinicians experienced with ERP

• Dr. Zia Lakdawalla – CBT, DBT, ERP, parent collaboration
  
• Dr. Lana Zinck – SPACE and CBT for obsessive worries
  
• Dr. Tamara Meixner – CBT, DBT, attachment-informed ERP
  
• Cassandra Harmsen – CBT, ACT, EFFT for intrusive thoughts
  
• Ola Obaro – CBT, Circle of Security, ERP for school refusal and OCD
  
• Jaydon Frid – Family-systems CBT and DBT to manage compulsions
  

FAQs — Exposure & Response Prevention

Is ERP safe for kids?

Yes—exposures are chosen collaboratively and kept within a manageable stress range.

How long does ERP take to work?

Families often see smaller rituals within 6–10 sessions when exposures are practised daily.

Do parents need to be involved?

Absolutely. ERP works best when parents drop unhelpful reassurance through parent coaching.

Does ERP require medication?

Often not. ERP alone is highly effective; medication is considered only if symptoms stay severe.

What if my child refuses exposures?

Therapists start with imaginal practice or very small steps and coach parents via SPACE treatment to lower resistance.